“I understand why they did the new start," said U-1 driver Steve David. "We’ll adjust to it just fine.” Being an "old boat racer," David said, we'd just as soon go out there and bump around and drive, but "whatever they throw at you, we’ll take it and make it work.”

"Last year, it was a dream come true," said U-5 driver Jeff Bernard. "Going to Madison as defending winner… that place will mean something to me the rest of my life. I’ll never forget."

It will be tougher. J. Michael Kelly moving into the U-7 and defending U-1 champion Oh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison and Steve David. Not to mentionDave Villwock returning to the full circuit in the U-16.

“Some of the other teams may not have the depth of equipment of (U-16) Elam, but we can overcome a lot," said U-1 driver Steve David. “They (U-16) can go out knowing the lane they want to start in and can set up that way,” said Bernard.

"The competition's never been better," said David. "Now you're talking 7 boats deep (with a chance to win)."

"Going to different countries is cool," said Bernard. "Hopefully, the exhibition in Kelowna (British Columbia) will be a race (in the future).

What Ken Muscatel and the group putting together the Thunder on the Ohio event for Evansville have done - in a very short amount of time - is nothing less than spectacular.

This race site could have been gone forever. Now, not only will the Unlimited Hydroplanes continue to race there... and keep the tradition alive... but Evansville has a new, major league event in town.

It's not just hydros... it's a world class Rib fest... it's a classic car show... and now... it's a major concert venue! Each one of the events is worthy of its own promotion, but you can go to all of them in one amazing weekend, for one price!